The subject matter disclosed herein relates generally to the field of a split blade retention race for an aircraft propeller blade.
A propeller for use in an aircraft includes a central rotating hub having a plurality of blade receiving sockets disposed about the hub. The propeller blades each have a shank, which may be a metal such as aluminum, located at the base of each propeller blade, and each shank is disposed in a respective blade receiving socket. The blade receiving sockets and the blade shanks are provided with opposed, separated ball bearing race surfaces, and a plurality of ball bearings are held between the blade receiving socket and the blade shank on the race surfaces, allowing adjustment of the pitch of the blade. The ball bearing race on the blade shank may be a separate component, referred to as a blade retention race, that encircles the blade shank. Currently, the blades are shipped with a one piece blade race.
Due to the movement and loading of the ball bearings on the race surface, and resulting damage that occurs to the race, one piece races may be replaced by split races at overhaul. Such a multisection blade retention race may be referred to as a split blade retention race. Once the one-piece race is replaced by split races, the movement and loading of the ball bearings on the edges of the split races has a tendency to damage the blade shank beyond repair.